Conventional firearms of this type generally have cylinders accommodating a limited number of cartridges, usually between 5 and 8, in respective chambers. An increase in the number of chambers necessitates, of course, a corresponding enlargement of the cylinder diameter which in turn would extend the height of the firearm if, as is the case in existing models, the cylinder axis lies above the level of the trigger. Such a construction not only is clumsy but also involves a rather unbalanced distribution of masses giving rise to objectionable kicks when the gun is fired.